Draft-equalizer



(No ModelJ- 'Y C. L'. SPENCER.

' 'DRAFT `EQUALIZEB.. NO. 252.813. A Patented ML2/1,1882.A

mi2/wwe@ `NiTn STATES einen.

aTTENT CHARLES L. SPENCER', OF PITISFIELD, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 252,813, dated January 24, 1882,

Appneanon inea November as, resi. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES L. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States ot' America, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Pike and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the aecompanyin g drawings, and to letters or flgures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in three-horse draft-eqnalizers 5 and it has forits Objects to provide treble-trees with d raft-equalizers and whiftietrees, which can be'readily adjusted to suit the demands of the draft and be Asubstantial and durable in c nstruction and in attachments to the tongue ot' a vehicle.

My invention consists in a double or single tree, with straps secured to the back face and extending around the ends, and formed with a loop or eye in the strap at the forward ends.

My invention further consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as will i be hereinafter more fully setforth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan view of myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tongueplate and doubletree secured thereto. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the tongue-plate attached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ot' a single-tree, showing the eye in the strap; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the tongue with adjusting means.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my improvements, the letterA represents the doubletree, formed substantially as shown in Fig. l, with the forward face a plane, and the back face gradually tapering from the center toward both ends,and from near the ends on the back made circular, terminating with the line of the, front face. Having thus shaped the doubletree, I then shape the strap B with the arm e and central curved part, b, from whence the meta-l is extended and looped, forming the eye or bolt-hole c, and from the base of this eye extends in a right linel with the face of the double-tree the arm d. The direction and shape of this strap is such that the extensions t the double-tree before and behind, and set snugly to the curved part on the ends. The strap is secured to the double-tree by bolts or nuts. rIhe double-tree has bolt-holes e at both ends, and also in the center, and it is ohvions that others may be made in order that it may be adjusted or shifted to suit the required draft.

The letter C represents the tongue-plate, formed with the. down ward-extending pieeesf, and the walls g and It, set transversely to the line of the tongue, and corresponding with the width, or nearly so, of the double-tree. The downward-extending piecesfkeep the plate from later'al displacement, and it is secured at the rear by the bolt which passes through the tree and tongue, and the walls g and h., with the intermediate metallic fioor, c', serve to keep the tongue from wear and at the same time afford sure and secure bracing to the doubletree. v The letters D D represent the draft-equalizers, having essentially the same configuration and strap attachments as the double-tree, except that they are made smaller. They have a bolt-hole about one-third of the distance of the length from' the outer end, which admits abolt, which passes th rough the eye ofthe strap ot' the double-tree. In the eyes of the straps ot' these equalizers are tixed hooks or other connecting means to which the single-trees are attached.

.The letters E represent the singletrees, having the same general configuration and plates as the other trees, and provided with a central eye to hook on the hooks ofthe equalizers. The end hiftietrees are attached to the outer hooks of the draf't-equalizers, and the central one is attached to both of the inner hooks of the longends of the equalizers by the eye in the center.

The combination of the parts when coinpleted is effected by boletin g the double-tree tol thetongue through anyoneofthe advantage77 holes in the tree, according as the draft may be desired. The equalizing-bars are then bolted to the double-tree, andthe single-trees hooked to the latter, substantially as shown in Fig. l. of thetdrawings.

IOO

It will be observed that the tongue may be dispensed with, and the double-tree fastened directly to a drag or plow-beam; also, that the double-tree may be shifted from one bolt-hole to another, or so as to throw the central animal on either side of the tongue or line of drag.

It will also be observed that the device may be attached to shafts by the central bolt-hole, with an animal on both sides. By forming the endsot'thetreescircnlarlobtainallthestrength of the strap clear to the eye, and thus throw the strain in the direction of the grain or length ot' the bar without endangering it by sudden angles. In some cases, in fact it is preferable, that the tongue should be provided with the tongue-plate U, (see Fig. 5,) consisting of the seat for the double-tree, and forward-extendingplate l, having pivoted to it the bar 2, to which are pivoted the single arm 3 and triangular arm 4, one bar of the latter being also pivotally secured to the end of the plate C. The scatfor the double-tree is formed of the transverse walls g and h, and corresponds with the width, or nearly so, `of the double-troc. rlhe arms 3 and 4 are struck down in order to clasp the tongue loosely. The object of this construction of the tongueplate and its attachments is to overcome the backlash of the draft on the short end ot' the double-tree by throwing the strain against the tongue where the side arm clasps it.

What I claim as my inventioinand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A single-tree provided with the metallic 'straps secured to the back and face of the tree,

and extending around the ends thereof, with formed eyes, as an improved article ot' manufacture.

2. The improved draft-equalizer, consisting of the tongue, with the tongue-plate con structed as described, the double-tree, and the single-trees, provided with the end straps and the connections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHA RLES LO RING SPENC ER. Witnesses:

O. G. SPENCER, E. SWI'CK. 

